MUMBAI: Coinciding with the opening of entries to the Creative Effectiveness Lions, Cannes Lions has announced the appointment of Coca-Cola US president of sparkling brands, strategic marketing Wendy Clark as jury president.

Now in its 5th year, this will be the first time the jury will be headed by a client-side marketer rather than an agency leader.

Launched in 2011, the Creative Effectiveness Lions celebrates award-winning creativity with a proven business impact and has an entry process involving close collaboration between clients and agencies to showcase both.

Lions Festivals CEO Philip Thomas said, “Wendy is a passionate and vocal believer in the power of creativity to drive commercial success and be a force for good, which gets to the heart of what Cannes Lions is about. She is uniquely qualified to undertake the role of jury president.”

Clark said, “I am delighted to be the president of the Creative Effectiveness Jury for Cannes 2015 and honoured to be the first client to lead the jury for this esteemed award. For clients, nothing could be more important than creativity that builds our brands and businesses, and the Creative Effectiveness Lion builds that bridge between creativity and effectiveness in a truly quantifiable way. In this sense, it should be considered the ultimate accolade in our business.”

She will be looking for work that is emblematic of the role and importance that creativity plays in driving brands and businesses forward; in changing or cementing minds and perceptions; and in advancing and impacting our society and world.

Shortlisted and winning entries produced between 1 March 2011 and 30 April 2014 may be entered in the 2015 awards.

Thomas added, “The Creative Effectiveness Lion is an award that we hold very close to our hearts, because we know it represents what clients are really looking for – creativity that amplifies their message and increases the power of what they create. It recognises and champions the power of world-changing creativity.”

Entries to the 2015 Creative Effectiveness Lions are now open and will close 6 March 2015.